According to Ray Dunlap, the top two short tracks likely added for the 2013 truck schedule are Myrtle Beach Speedway and South Boston. The road course (only one will be used most likely) is likely going to be Mid-Ohio; Mosport, Virginia International, or Lime Rock was in the rumor mill but are less likely. Portland International Raceway is a super longshot.

Most of you guys probably don't remember when the Truck series started, it was almost entirely short tracks. The racing was outstanding. When short tracks aren't clogged with 43 cars they make for remarkably good racing

So who has this season put in the weeds?DingerSmithLast season was R. GordonLa Bonte amazingly is in 24th, but thats a ride for new blood.I'd say Kvapil and McDowell will be never weres at this point, but who knows.I'd love to see Hornish farmed out to full time ride, if you look hard at the standings, right now NASCAR is not all that deep when it comes to wheelers...

#43 looks like the "open" ride left, and that is looking like it'll go back to Almirola. Understandable, first full Sprint Cup season in a car that was in a bit of disarray last offseason. He deserves another year.

There's nothing signed with #47 and David Reutimann visited the shop back in August, but Tad Geschickter said he had a handshake deal with Labonte to return in 2013. He wants to expand next year or in 2014, sponsors permitting.

Regan Smith will have a job somewhere running full races next year methinks, probably BK Racing or Tommy Baldwin or Front Row.

Finch is looking for a driver with money to continue in 2013 and beyond.

Kurt Busch hopes to get a head start on the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup season by jumping in the #78 Furniture Row Chevy early. The next chapter of the Busch saga could begin as early as in two weeks at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Aligning with the team before the end of the season would offer Busch an opportunity to acclimate to the group and its systems for the final six races of the season. "He's going to be out after Talladega," said Phoenix Racing team owner James Finch, for whom Busch currently drives. "We're going to go down there and try to win that race. We were up front for most of the spring race, and Brad (Keselowski) dumped us with three or four to go. We'll be fine at Talladega." So who would fill the Phoenix Racing seat currently occupied by Busch? Since Finch has operated for most of 2012 sans sponsorship, he's looking at candidates "who have the potential" to bring financial support to the team for the final six race and possibly next year. Finch has spoken to representation for AJ Allmendinger, who has been sidelined since July 7, when he was suspended for testing positive for amphetamine the week before at Kentucky Speedway. Regan Smith, who will be displaced in the #78 Chevy by Busch, could be part of an easy swap with the #51 Phoenix team. Finch isn't limited to considering Sprint Cup candidates. He also has been approached by the camps of Nationwide Series drivers James Buescher and Justin Allgaier.(Fox Sports)(9-27-2012)

Gibbs looking to extend Busch's contract: Next season is expected to produce a top crop of free agents in the Sprint Cup market - but if Joe Gibbs Racing has its way, #18-Kyle Busch's name will never reach the rumor mill. Principals at Gibbs Racing are working diligently to renew Busch's contract before it expires next season. According to sources, Gibbs approached Busch on an extension in the last couple of months and hopes to retain one of NASCAR's top talents. "They typically do (contracts before the expiration date)," Busch said. "They've brought it up to my attention. I just kind of put it off to, 'Let's get through, let's see what happens in the Chase.' Since we missed that, it's kind of like, now they want to re-talk about it. I'm like, let's just wait until the end of the year. There's no sense in causing a distraction."(Fox Sports)(9-30-2012)

Hornish still without contract for 2013: Despite repeated assertions by Penske Racing owner Roger Penske that he wants Sam Hornish, Jr., back in a full time NASCAR Nationwide Series ride next season, the former Indianapolis 500 champion says he has no signed contract in place for 2013. "I don't have any paper in my hand saying what's going to happen next year," said Hornish. "I know Roger's been out there (in the media) saying he'd like to have me back, but we'll just have to wait and see how everything plays out. We've got some really good sponsors and we're moving forward on some other ones, but it's a really tough time with the economy. Hornish said that uncertainty, combined with Penske's recent decision to sign Joey Logano to drive the team's #22 Shell Pennzoil-sponsored Sprint Cup Series Ford next season, has made for a difficult few weeks. "We're going to do the best we can to cap off this season on a high note with both (Nationwide and Sprint Cup) cars, then see what the future holds for us." (Godfather Motorsports)(9-29-2012)

No need to, at least from my part. All I'm trying to say is that it'd b sad if they weren't putting the right emphasis on Johanna's performances in fear that it would detract from all the Danica hype. I' like to think they can both coexist. Pony, and partners (sponsors, NASCAR, anyone that has invested in her), have made good use of the fact that she's a (or perhaps 'the') woman.

I think it's "a good thing" that Johanna is missing the hype, it allows her to concentrate on racing, at which she is very impressive, and long term in NASCAR, probably has more potential than Patrick; by keeping a low profile she won't get distracted.

Why leave a series where you make millions for one where you have to find millions.Especially as he's starting to get the hang of NASCAR.

Face it, no OW racer transplant has been worth the dough in the last five years.Hornish may have finally gotten it, but it's taken bajillions to get there and his clock is running out for anywhere near a 10 year return like Logano will have..Name an OW wheel that has been in the thick of it in NASCAR, and you won't find one.I seriously thought Montoya would leave a mark.Ain't gonna happen. Team, skill in a ton and half sled, whatever. Speed, fail, w/ Red Bull bucks.'dinger, ditto.The only remote possibility I see of a quality OW wheel in NASCAR have a shot is Piquet, with a HUGE dish of maybe included.Putting quantum bucks into a NASCAR ride for an OW racer is a sure lose.Oops, forgot the Danica black-hole of spending for a winner... TBH, playing Moneyball in NASCAR right would favor a Hornish or Ambrose on my whiteboard.Good drivers, but they have no sponsors to cover the salary, and the by sell date is rapidly approaching them.

Of the major open-wheel invasion have anyone been actually successful at it? Dario Franchitti tried and when the money ran out he made the right move and returned back. Scott Speed, once with Red Bull Racing connection, hanging around with a start and park team. You can say he bombed both in F1 and NASCAR. AJ Allemendinger after being getting lifeline after lifeline only to blow his chance this year. Where AJ Foyt IV after getting laughed out of now Nationwide series despite AJ Foyt objection? NASCAR can keep Danica Patrick after she wore her Indycar welcome mat long time ago. Nelson Piquet Jr might be the closest but still got long way to go. So far its just giant bust and likely career suicide jumping from open wheel to stock car now if you can't produce within a time frame.

Stewart, obviously. And Casey Mears has stuck around despite washing out at Hendrick and Childress. Got a win to his name as well. Montoya has two wins to his credit; no ovals, though.

Obviously, I think one of the biggest issue involved is that many of the bigger named open-wheel guys that jumped were thrown right into the top series (with maybe a Nationwide or two to be approved for Daytona the previous season). I can understand how basically starting over at a lower series after success at a top series in another league can be frustrating and I imagine that it stretches a man's pride quite a bit, but it's almost needed to adapt properly and get up to pace.

I think Nelson has a good shot, he put aside any pride he might have had and is sticking with Trucks until he feels comfortable. Also, unlike some other open-wheelers, he's basically one of the guys now, buddying up with the entire Hendrick team, so he has made connections in the garage.

Stewart, obviously. And Casey Mears has stuck around despite washing out at Hendrick and Childress. Got a win to his name as well. Montoya has two wins to his credit; no ovals, though.

Obviously, I think one of the biggest issue involved is that many of the bigger named open-wheel guys that jumped were thrown right into the top series (with maybe a Nationwide or two to be approved for Daytona the previous season). I can understand how basically starting over at a lower series after success at a top series in another league can be frustrating and I imagine that it stretches a man's pride quite a bit, but it's almost needed to adapt properly and get up to pace.

I think Nelson has a good shot, he put aside any pride he might have had and is sticking with Trucks until he feels comfortable. Also, unlike some other open-wheelers, he's basically one of the guys now, buddying up with the entire Hendrick team, so he has made connections in the garage.

Csey Mears will soon be hanging with Robby Gordon, just another example of a never was from the OW camp.The up from the bootstraps method is the only reason I'm giving Piquet any slack for the future.

Of all the guys with OW experience, I'd like to see Kubica, if he's ever fully fit enough, come on over and give it a shot, at least try it out.
Marketing-wise he's a bit of a zero, but I reckon he'd like the hard style of racing.

[Team president J.D.] Gibbs & confirmed the possibility that JGR could hire Nationwide Series point leader Elliott Sadler and Brian Vickers to drive full-time in the Nationwide Series next season. "That's a potential,'' Gibbs said. "I think we have to wait a little while before we can say anything officially.'' Sadler, who has made it clear he will not return to Richard Childress Racing after this season, would drive one car with OneMain Financial as the primary sponsor. He also is expected to drive a part-time Sprint Cup schedule. Vickers would drive the second car with Dollar General as the sponsor. Gibbs said the plan is to field a third car for his Cup drivers and developmental drivers Drew Herring and Darrell Wallace Jr. to share.(ESPN.com)(9-30-2012)

Since Montoya arrived I've been following NASCAR, nowadays much closer on the truck side because of Piquet. I was thinking about the Nationwide series and I have a question for you guys....

How do you rate the Nationwide Series?

It seems to me that Nationwide is in a kind of limbo. They are not so cheaper to race as the truck series, so it's hard to find a package of sponsors to do the entire season. They don't have so much coverage as the Sprint Cup, and it's almost so hard to win because almost every race they have 3 or 4 cup drivers on it. They have 3 classes of drivers, drivers from the Sprint Cup, drivers racing for the Nationwide Cup and race-by-race drivers and this is the main reason that I think the championship boring. Almost 60% of the field you don't know who is racing each car because each race is a different driver, often who wins doesn't runs the championship. One of the best things from the Sprint Cup and the Trucks is that I know almost 90% of the drivers too.What you guys think?

Personally, I like the NW series, the races are the right distance. The revolving drivers issue has merit however, I too don't like the NASCAR drivers cherry picking races. Coverage here in the US isn't an issue with me, I can see every race I want to. The one off drivers coming in for the road races I really like. It's also a series that EVERY potential NASCAR driver should do at least a full year in, and I think it's a good series to really pick out the up and comers from. Sponsorship is an issue, there really seems to be not much of a problem with finding entries, but in reality I think the NASCAR regulars should stay in Cup and limit the entries to about 30-35 really solid cars. That would allow the teams to get good sponsorship, but alot of of the one offs enable regional sponsorship.My 2 cents...

Not to sound petty, but I wish WISH there was a car I could support in NASCAR that recognizes my need for quality bacon, franks, lunchmeats, sausage and hams.

When will my eternal search end...?

Your search will end when the NASCAR thread regulars here all finally pitch in $50 to buy us a Sprint cup car and we get that bitch sponsored by every small town meat shop and deli in the country. Then we get creative with the paint scheme, doing the spoiler up to look like a hot dog, running #00 so we can slap two giant hamburgers on the side of the car, etc. We can even have the roof flaps painted up to look like those awful veggie burgers, the message obviously being 'If you see these, you've made some bad decisions lately', which is just as true for seeing the roof flaps come up on your car as it is to see veggie burgers on your BBQ.

Believe that gm was making a (b)un-ny joke about Almirola's primary sponsor, Smithfield Foods, a meat processing company that uses various schemes to promote their meaty goodness.

Pedigree s a dog food.

Ha-ha, Ringo gets it! Thought someone might have cottoned on when I said "Not to sound petty".

Gwaltney to wrap #43 Ford at Talladega Superspeedway: Gwaltney Foods, producer of quality bacon, franks, lunchmeats, sausage and hams, will wrap Aric Almirola's #43 Ford with its signature red and yellow colors for the October 7, 2012 race at Talladega Superspeedway. "Gwaltney is a trusted family brand with over 140 year history of producing the quality meat products at a popular price point," said Will Brunt, Vice President of Marketing at Smithfield Packing. "Gwaltney proudly boasts America's number-one rated chicken frank and bologna, and we're excited to be running our prize sweepstakes in conjunction with the Talladega race, as many of our customers are stock-car racing fans."(Richard Petty Motorsports)(10-2-2012)

He grew up with dirt in his teeth, like Jeff Gordon, if anything, he showed the OW guys it wasn't all that...

Perhaps you should start calling it formula car racers instead of open wheel. A 410 sprint is every bit an open wheel car. I would agree that the formula car guys aren't catching on. Though the converse is also true. Guys that grew up on circle track have a difficult time coming over to road racing. Though not very many do because even at the low end there many more opportunities in the US in circle track.

Of all the guys with OW experience, I'd like to see Kubica, if he's ever fully fit enough, come on over and give it a shot, at least try it out.Marketing-wise he's a bit of a zero, but I reckon he'd like the hard style of racing.

I don't know at this point if ol' Bob K is going to be racing anything again at the top level. Testing tires is one thing but I don't know if he's recovered enough to run in any top series at this point. He's lucky to be alive much less still have his arm.

Lookit the table with all the guys at laptops! Not your grandaddy's NASCAR. The rear exhausts are definitely interesting and do indeed bring up the thought of cooling for the trailing car in the draft.